Apparatus for making sectional blanks



Oct. 6, 1942. c, s N uE 2,297,948

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SECTIONAL BLANKS Original Filed April 18, 1938 I 7 Sheets-Sheet l 5 Q 7 I C'ar/6L5E/3%gff 4 l BY ATT RyEYs Oct. 6, 1942.

c. B. EISENHAUER APPARATUS FOR MAKING SECTIONAL BLANKS '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed April 18, 1938 ATTORNEYS Oct. 6, 1942. c. B. EISENHAUER 2,297,948

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SECTIONAL BLANKS Original Filed April 18, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 ENTOR.

BY ATTORNF Oct. 6, .1942. "c. B. EISENHAUER 2,297,943

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SECTIQNAL BLANKS Original Filed April 18, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I V 3mm 6/4 r/aLZ, Ekykauer' Oct. 6, 1942. c. B. EISENHAUER 2,297,943

APPARATUS FQR MAKING SECTIONAL BLANKS Original Filed April 18, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Oct. 6, 1942. 2,297,948

' APPARATUS FOR MAKING SEGTIONAL BLANKS q. B. EISENHAUER Original Fil ed April 18, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 gwuwwtm qy/awer C/a r/es B. 17/

Patented Oct. 6, 1942 1 APPARATUS FOR MAKING SECTIONAL BLANKS I Charles B. Eisenhauer, Detroit, Mich., assignor,

by mesne assignments,

to Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of the United States Original application April 18, 1938, Serial No. 202,625. Divided and this applicationMarch 28, 1940, Serial No.-326,349

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to an apparatus for attaching together metallic strips for making sectional blanks.

This application is a division of my application entitled Method of and apparatus for forming casings, Serial No. 202,625, and filed April 18, 1938; now Patent No. 2,264,627.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for attaching together a plurality of metallic strips.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for rapidly, conveniently and inexpensively attaching together a plurality of metallic strips.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for attaching together metallic strips to form unitary structures without necessity of individually handling the several strips comprising the structures.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and in which:

Figure l is a view shown in side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in cross section showing certain structural details of the present apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a view of a plurality of guides or gauges employed in the apparatus, taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the gauges shown in Fig. 3 and associated structure;

Fig. 5 is a view shown in cross section of a die of the present apparatus;

Fig. 6 is atop plan view of the lower die, taken along the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view shown in cross section of the die taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 'I-l of Fig. 6, showing the die in closed position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View shown in cross section of the die taken along the line 88 of Fig. 6 and showing a punch of the upper die in raised position;

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are fragmentary views shown in cross section of the die showing the upper die in different positions with respect to the work and to the lower die;

Fig. 12 is a View shown in cross section of a shearing die of the present apparatus;

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the lower shearing die taken along the line l!3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a view shown in cross section of a number of forming dies of the apparatus and Fig. 16 is a plan view of a sectionally constructed casing blank;

Figs. 17, 18, 19 and 20 illustrate respectively different steps or operations in forming the blank of Fig. 16 into a leaf spring casing; and

Fig.-21 is a perspective View of the finished spring casing.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference and first to Fig. 1, the present apparatus includes a power press having a frame 10 including an upper base I l on which is supported a bed l2 which is preferably angularly disposed, sloping downwardly from front to rear of the apparatus. Mounted on the bed 12, adjacent'the front thereof, is a die, designated in general by the numeral 13, which may be termed a stitching die and also mounted on the bed 12' rearwardly of and adjacent to the die I3 is a shearing die I4. The power press for operating the dies 13 and I4 may be of any suitable type and may include spaced driven shafts l5 and I6 intermediate of which there may be a drive shaft l1, these shafts extending transversely of the apparatus in relatively spaced parallel relation and may be journaled for rotation in suitable bearings in frame H. Keyed to the drive shaft 11, a drive gear l8 meshes with and drives similar gears I9 and l9a keyed respectively to the driven shafts l5 and I6 and the drive shaft I! may be driven or rotated by any suitable source of power. Keyed respectively to the driven shafts l5 and iii are eccentrics 20 and 2| which slidably rotate in hearings or straps 22, on the lower ends of connecting rods 23 which operatively connect the eccentrics to upper movable die heads 24 and 25 respectively of the dies l3 and I4.

Positioned at the front or in advance of the stitching die I 3 is a pair of feed rollers 26 and 21 for feeding a plurality of continuous, substantially parallel strips of metal 21a to the stitching die I3 which then attaches adjacent stripstogether along adjacent longitudinal edges thereof as will later be seen. Preferably the strip stock 21a is wound on spools 28, only one of which is shown, which may be rotatably supported by a frame 30. The feed rollers 26 and 27, of which the lower roller 26 is the drive roller, have shafts 3| and 32 respectively which are journaled in bearings in the upstanding sides 33 of a U-shaped support 34, supported and rigid- 1y secured to an L-shaped bracket 35 which in turn is rigidly secured to the frame I of the power press. Keyed to the drive roller shaft 3|, a gear 33 meshes with a gear 31 which is keyed to a shaft 38 on which a second gear 39 is provided and meshes with a reciprocal gear rack 40 which is reciprocated in accordance with operation of the dies for intermittently driving the feed roller 26 in a direction to feed the strips 210 The gear rack 4|], Fig. 2, is slidably' to the dies. received and guided in a slideway 4| provided in a plate member 42 which may be rigidly secured to the L-shaped bracket 35 by any suitable means. The gear 39 is loosely mounted on the shaft 38 and carries a pawl 43 which cooperates with a ratchet 44 keyed to the shaft 38, to provide for intermittent rotation of the rollers 26 and 21 in one direction only. A lever 45 having one end pivoted to the gear rack 40 is pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 46, to the plate member 42 and at its other end is pivoted to one end of a connecting rod 41, the other end of which is pivoted to a lug 48 provided on the connecting rod strap 22 of the stitching die. It will be seen that on the up-stroke of the press, the rack 40 will be moved toward the press, rotating the rollers 26 and 21 which will feed the metallic strips 21a to the dies and that on the down-stroke of the press, feeding of the strip stock will be stopped by reason of the pawl 43 and ratchet 44.

Referring now to the detail construction of the stitching die l3, Figs. and 6, the lower part of this die includes a base plate 50 which may be rigidly secured to the bed l2 by any suitable receive a single punch 55, these apertures aligning transversely of the die base at an angle to the direction of feeding of the metallic strips 21a and the rear row of die plates 52 are provided with punch receiving apertures 56 to receive a double punch 51, which apertures are relatively aligned transversely of the die base in parallel relation with the aligned apertures of the first row of die plates. The intermediate row of die plates 53 are each provided with a pair of spaced, punch receiving apertures 54a and 56a, the aperture 54a to receive single die punches 55 and the aperture 56a to receive double die punches 51, Fig. 7. The die punches 55 and 51 are rigidly secured in blocks 6| which in turn are carried by and rigidly secured to the underside of the upper movable die head 24. The punch receiving apertures 54a and 56a of the intermediate die plates 53 respectively align transversely of the strips 210 to be attached together and alignment thereof is at an acute angle to the alignment of the front and rear rows of punch receiving apertures, the present die in one operation stitching or attaching together strips for two sectional blanks which after shearing by the die I4 are trapezoidal in form as shown in Fig. 16.

The die plates 5|, 52 and 53 are each mounted on a pair of spaced blocks 62 and may be rigidly secured thereto and to the base 5|] by screws 63 or by other suitable means. A plurality of spaced, elongated movable stripper plates 64 having apertures to receive the die punches are provided and are spaced slightly and immediately above the die plates, the stripper plates 64 extending transversely of the strips 210.. Springs 64a urge the stripper plates 64 downwardly, such movement being limited by the heads of screws 64b which are screwthreaded into the upper die base 24. A plurality of lower vertically movable stripper plates 65 are provided and extend in relative spaced relation from front to rear of the base 50 between the raised die plates, the metallic strips 21a to be attached together being supported on the upper surfaces of the movable stripper plates 65 and on the upper surfaces of die plates 5| 52 and 53. Helical coil springs 65 urge the stripper plates 65 upwardly, upward movement of the stripper plates 65 being limited slightly above the die plates 5|, 52, and 53 by the heads of screws 61 which are screwthreaded into the stripper plates and have their heads movable in and adapted to engage the end walls of recesses in the fixed base 50.

A plurality of elongated longitudinally slidable cam members 69 extend one under each row of the die plates 62 and on movement raise and/or lower cam engaging or follower members 19. The cam members 69 have longitudinally spaced, laterally extending portions 1|, Fig. 7, each provided with an inclined upwardly facing cam surface 12, which position in spaced cutouts 13, only one of which is shown, in the cam follower members 70 which have downwardly facing inclined cam surfaces 14 for cooperative engagement with the inclined surface 12. Acting against one end of each of the elongated cam members 69 are helical coil springs 15, Fig. 6, which act to move the cam member 69 in a direction to permit the cam follower member 10 to descend, the cam engaging member 10 being limited in such movement by stop members 15a rigidly secured to the base 50. Each of the slidably movable cam members 69 is provided at the end thereof opposite its respective spring 75 with an upwardly facing inclined portion 16 and the upper punch carrying plate carries depending members 11 provided on their lower ends with inclined surfaces 78 adapted to engage the inclined surfaces 16 to move the cam members 69 longitudinally against the action of the springs 15 to raise the cam follower members 10. Loosely supported on the upper surface of the cam fo1- lower members 70, a plurality of abutment members 19 have upwardly extending portions 19a which project into and are retained in the punch receiving apertures in the die plates 5|, 52 and 53, the upper ends of these portions 19a, on upward movement of the cam follower members 10 engaging the tabs 80 which are punched out by the die punches and crimping or bending the tabs over thereby to attach the several strips 21a of strip stock together. Helical coil springs 8|, compressed between the underside of the die plates 5| 52 and 53 and flanges 82 of the abutment members 10, act to urge the abutment members downwardly maintaining them in engagement with the upper surface of the cam follower members 10. The punches as shown in Figs. '7 to 10 inclusive have a depending punch portion 83 offset from the upwardly extending abutment portions 19 and have a downwardly facing abutment surface 84 overlying and cooperable with the upper ends of the abutment members 19 to bend over the tabs 80, the lower end of the punch having a downwardly facing inclined surface 85 terminating in a lower pointed end 86 for piercing the metal strips. It will be seen that the inclined surfaces 85 on the punches causes the tabs 80, formed out of metal strips, to curl back and under the metal in position to be crimped or flattened by the abutment members I9 on closing of the die.

Referring now to the shearing die I4 and more particularly to Figs. 12 and 13, this die includes a fixed base 85a rigidly secured to the frame I and mounted on the base 85a is a pair of elongated lower shearing die members 85a which are angularly disposed in relative tapered relation. These die members 86a are mounted on and rigidly secured to spacers 81 and to the die base 8511 by screws 88. Positioned between the spaced die members 86a, a filler plate 88a has its upper surface flush with the upper surface of the die members and seats on spacers 89, the filler plate and spacers being rigidly secured together and to the die base 85a by screws 90. The upper,

outer, longitudinal edges 9I of the die members 86 are cutting edges which cooperate with lower inner cutting edges 92 of die members 93 carried by the movable die head 25, the upper cutting edges 92 being positioned outwardly of the lower cutting edges 9|. are of elongated form and are spaced from the upper die base 94 by spacers 95, the parts being rigidly secured together by screws 96. Positioned above the lower die members 81 and carried by the upper die base 94 is a stripper plate 91 which is urged downwardly by helical coil springs 98, downward movement being limited by the heads 99 of screws I00. Outwardly of the lower shearing dies 81, front and rear stripper plates WI and I02 respectively are provided and are urged upwardly by helical coil springs I03 which seat in recesses in the base 85, upward movement of the stripper plates being limited 'by the heads I04 of screws I05 which are screwthreaded into the stripper plates and have their heads I04 movable in recesses in the lower die base 85.

Mounted on and rigidly secured to the forward ends of the stitching die lower stripper plates 65, Figs. 1 and 6, is a unitary structure I06 comprising a plurality of gauges or guides for guiding the several strips of stock 21a so that they will be fed to the dies with their adjacent longitudinal edges in overlapping relation along which overlapped edges the strips 21a are pierced and attached together at spaced intervals by the stitching die I3. The guide structure I86, Figs. 3 and 4, includes a base I08 secured to the underside of the movable stripperplates 65 transversely thereto on which is mounted and rigidly secured thereto a plurality of transversely spaced blocks I09. Angularly disposed supporting plates IIO are each secured at their opposite ends to a pair of the blocks I09 and extend in relative spaced relation, successive plates being in relative overlapping relation. Mounted on and secured to the supporting plates IIO are spaced guide members II2 which cooperate with the blocks I09 to guide the metallic strips I01, the guide members The upper die members 93 i into the die base Ill.

dies with their adjacent longitudinal edges in overlapping relation. 7

After the metallic strips 21a have been attached together longitudinally thereof by the apparatus includes a su'pporting'niember or bed I I5 on which are rigidly secured three spaced die bases comprising a base H6 at 'the front of the bed II5, a base In at the rear of the bed and an intermediate base I I8. Mounted on and rigidly secured to the forward base I I6 are two stationary dies I and I2I which are adapted to cooperate with corresponding upper movable dies I20a and I2Ia, to form flanges I23 and 'I2'4'along the longitudinal edges of the blank, the iflange I23 being bent outwardly and back upon itself as at I25 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Mounted on and rigidly securedto the second or intermediate base I'IB, a'lowensta'tionary die I21 cooperates with an upper movable die I28 to bend the blank along a line spaced from and extending longitudinally of the flange I24 forming one side or top of the casing', as at I29. Also in this operation a longitudinal crimp or offset I29a is formed in the blank adjacent the bend of the casing side wall I29, providing take up slack to compensate for any irregularities in size which may be encountered in fitting the casings over leaf springs. In the last operation, a lower stationary die I30 rigidly secured to the base I I1 cooperates with an upper movable die I3I to form the other sides as at I32 and I33 and the bottom I34 of the finished casing. The die I30 has an opening I35 extending longitudinally thereof, the sides of the opening having opposed oppositely inclined forming surfaces I36. Positioned for vertical movement in the opening I35, a stripper plate I31 is supported on the upper ends of pins I33, the lower ends of which project through apertures in the bed H5 and seat on a vertically movable plate I which is urged upwardly by helical coil springs I4I which surround and are held under compression by screws I42, screwthreaded into the die bed I I5. Upward movement of the stripper plate I3! is limited by the heads of screws I43 which are screwthreaded It will be seen that on closing of the die, the stripper plates I31 will move down compressing springs I 4| which on opening or raising of the upper die will move the stripper plate and the casing upward. The forming dies may be operated by any suitable well known type of power press.

The operation of the herein described apparatus is as follows: On raising or opening movement of the dies I3 and I4, the rack 40 which is operatively connected to the connecting rod strap 22 by a link 41 and lever 45 is moved forward and through gears 39, 36 and 3'! drives the roll ers 26 and 21 which feed the continuous strips 21a to the dies I3 and I 4, the strips 21a first passing through the guide structures I06a and I06 which position and retain adjacent strips with their adjacent longitudinal edges in relative-overlapping relation. On downward movement of the upper dies, the rack 40 is moved in the opposite direction, but by reason of the pawl 43 and ratchet 44, Fig. 2, the rollers 26 and 21 are not rotated and feeding of the strips is discontinued during this movement of the rack 43 to permit the dies I3 and I4 to stitch and shear respectively the strips then in the dies. On descent of the punches, Figs. 9, and '11, the pointed ends thereof pierce the overlapped border portions of adjacent strips I01 and as the punches continue to descend the beveled surfaces 85 thereof cause the double thickness of metal or tabs to curl under the strips immediately above the upper ends respectively of the upwardly movable abutment members 19. Also as the punches descend, the movable stripper plates 65 are moved downwardly against the action of the springs 66 and the depending abutment members 11 carried by the upper die base engage the inclined cam surface I6 of the longitudinally movablecam members 69 which move the cam follower members upward against the action of the springs 15 raising the abutment members I9 upward to flatten the tabs 80 between the upper ends of the abutment members and the downwardly facing abutment surfaces 34 of the punches 55 and 51.

On upward movement of the upper die or punches, the cam members 69 are released and are returned by the springs I5 which permits the cam follower members I0 and the abutment members 19 which are loosely supported on the upper horizontal cam surfaces to descend. downward movement of the abutment members I9 being aided by the springs BI. It will be understood that the present stitching die I3 in one operation of the die attaches strips together for two blanks each blank having along one longitudinal edge thereof spaced single tabs punched out and turned over and along and adjacent the other edge thereof having a row of spaced pairs of tabs, although any suitable number of tabs and arrangement thereof may be had, as desired. On raising or opening of the stitching die I3 the lower stripper plates 65 are moved upward by the springs 66 to move the strips 21a slightly upward to push the tabs 80 out of the punch receiving apertures in the die plates 5|, 52 and 53. Simultaneously with the stitching operation the shearing die I4 on each operation thereof shears the strips 21a transversely thereof and shears off two sectionally constructed blanks which are in the shape of a trapezoid, each blank comprising a plurality of attached together pieces of the strips 21a as shown in Fig. 16. Preferably the press for operating the stitching and shearing dies is of the type which is automatically and periodically stripped. After the blanks are sheared off from the strips they are presented to the forming dies shown in Fig. 14 where in four operations, they are formed into a four sided cover of the character shown in Fig. 21. In the first forming operation the blank is bent by cooperating dies I and HM along one longitudinal edge thereof providing the outturned flange I23 having the offset portion I25 bent back the final operation, the blank is bent along two lines longitudinally of the blank providing the bottomand side walls I32 and I33 respectively, of the finished casing. The flanges I24 and I25 are adapted for interlocking relation to close the casing after it is positioned or fitted over a leaf spring.

By the present apparatus for preparing sectionally constructed blanks for manufacturing spring casings wherein a plurality of metallic strips are automatically fed, attached together and then sheared into sectionally constructed blanks, these blanks may be easily and conveniently handled to form an elongated longitudinally flexible leaf spring casing. Moreover, longitudinal flexible spring casings are not only easily and efiiciently manufactured by the herein disclosed apparatus but are strong and durable and may be inexpensively manufactured.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for use in the manufacture of spring casings comprising means for intermittently feeding a plurality of separate continuous strips of relatively great lengths in proportion to their widths in a longitudinal direction with the adjacent edges of adjacent strips disposed in overlapping relationship, and die mechanisms spaced apart from each other in the direction of travel of said strips and operable in timed relation to the cessation of feeding thereof for punching tabs therethrough and bending the same into interlocking relationship at locations spaced longitudinally along the overlapping edges of each of said strips, the operative portions of the dies being so located as to provide two secured tab assemblies in each strip overlap for each spring-casing-blank area.

2. Apparatus, comprising means for intermittentlyfeeding a plurality of separate continuous strips of relatively great lengths in proportion to their widths in a longitudinal direction with the adjacent edges of adjacent strips disposed in overlapping relationship, and a pair of die mechanisms spaced apart from each other in the direction of travel of said strips and operable in timed relation to the cessation of feeding thereof for punching tabs therethrough and bending the same into interlockingrelationship at locations spaced longitudinally along the overlapping edges of said strips, one of said die mechanisms being arranged to form a single tab assembly and the other to form a pair of transversely spaced tab assemblies along a single longitudinal overlap.

3. Apparatus, comprising means for intermittently feeding a plurality of separate continuous strips of relatively great lengths in proportion to their widths in a longitudinal direction with the adjacent edges of adjacent strips disposed in overlapping relationship and a pair of die mechanisms spaced apart from each other in the direction of travel of said strips and operable in timed relation to the cessation of feeding thereof for punching tabs therethrough and bending the same into interlocking relationship at locations spaced longitudinally along the overlapping edges of said strips, one of said die mechanisms being arranged to form a single tab assembly and the other to form a pair of transversely spaced tab assemblies along a single longitudinal overlap, said die mechanisms being arranged to bend the tabs of one of said tab assemblies in the direction of travel of said strips and the tabs of the other tab assembly transversely to said direction of travel.

4. Apparatus for use in the manufacture of interlocking relationship at locations spaced longitudinally along the overlapping edges of each of said strips, and mechanism operatively connecting said feeding roller rotating means with said securing means for operation in mutual timed relationship, the operative portions of said means being so located as to provide two secured tab assemblies in each strip overlap for each spring-casing-blank area.

CHARLES B. EISENHAUERl 

